The As If Principle: The Radically New Approach to Changing Your Life

Victorian philosopher William James had a theory about emotion and behavior: It isn’t that our feelings guide our actions (feel happy and you will laugh). On the contrary, it is our actions that guide our emotions (laugh and you will feel happy). This led James to a remarkable conclusion: "If you want a quality, act as if you already have it." Roused by James’s astonishing discovery, renowned psychologist and best-selling author Richard Wiseman confirms James’s principle and shows how the self-help genre has for too long put the cart before the horse in trying to help us take control of our lives.

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Publisher's Summary

Victorian philosopher William James had a theory about emotion and behavior: It isn’t that our feelings guide our actions (feel happy and you will laugh). On the contrary, it is our actions that guide our emotions (laugh and you will feel happy). This led James to a remarkable conclusion: "If you want a quality, act as if you already have it." Roused by James’s astonishing discovery, renowned psychologist and best-selling author Richard Wiseman confirms James’s principle and shows how the self-help genre has for too long put the cart before the horse in trying to help us take control of our lives.

Bringing to the table a dazzling array of firsthand experiments, surprising histories, and psychological case studies, Wiseman illustrates in brilliant detail how we can apply this principle in our daily lives:

Smile to become measurably happier

Wash your hands to drive away guilt

Clench your fist to increase your willpower

Eat with your nondominant hand to lose weight

Nod while speaking to become more persuasive

Act like a newlywed to rekindle your marriage

Lively, engaging, and truly mind-changing, The As If Principle is that rare gem that offers real, workable solutions for your day-to-day goals while helping you to instantly take control of your emotions. Whether it’s quitting a bad habit, persevering through a difficult task, or achieving your dream self, The As If Principle can help. Don’t just think about changing your life. Do it.

I will be listening to The As If Principle again, because not only is the science behind the principle, and the practical advice worth another listen, to further incorporate, internalize, and solidify my understanding, but Ralph Lister is just fun to listen to.

What did you like best about this story?

What I liked best about The As If Principle, is how quickly and easily I could put it to work in my life. What's interesting, is that while many of the techniques, Wiseman teaches periodically throughout the book, have been taught before, it is the science that Wiseman explains, to back it all up, that makes it so effective, for me.The research examples, prove to me intellectually how sound the science is, and remove the doubt and dismissal that had previously prevented me from applying these kinds of techniques in my life.The techniques are so effective, and so simple that I am surprised more of humanity hasn't figured it out already. Some of the advice Wiseman points out, is actually so common in our society, that we ignore it, but much to our detriment. I won't ignore advice that intends to employ the As If Principle, ever again. This is the best self-improvement book I've listened to in a long time.

What about Ralph Lister’s performance did you like?

Quick, fun, British. Any book that I don't have to play back at 2x is worth recommending. Ordinarily I have to play a book back at 2x just to keep from losing focus. My mind will wander out of boredom with most books, if I don't crank up the speed. Not so with Ralph Lister. I will see what else he's narrated, because I enjoyed listening to him read The As If Principle so much.

What did you learn from The As If Principle that you would use in your daily life?

"Keep your chin up" is literally, perhaps the best advice anyone can ever give or receive. Do it.

....not enough synthesis; i know now that acting first can train our minds, but this could have been taught in a 10 page paper; too many studies ending in the same conclusion; not enough analysis/synthesizing of the data. Good rule, but too long with little added benefit.

Has The As If Principle turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

What does Ralph Lister bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Does not carry the title theseus past the first chapter if then.No practicle application. Somewhat entertaining recitation of Reader Digest versions of historical research.Not much beyond the packaging.

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